Max Richter: Three Worlds: Music From Woolf Works

Since his debut record Memoryhouse, composer Max Richter has consistently delivered music of unquestionable beauty and depth. Over the years, he forged a unique path that saw him melding classical contemporary music with electronic and the result to that was always an engaging progression of various works that went back and forth between the familiar and comfortable with the new and forward-thinking. But it's tricky to try to pigeonhole the music of this composer. There is an unconventional inventiveness where he has pulled his sources of inspiration into something unique, where all of that sounds intriguing and engaging in its emotional and musical trajectory. His aesthetics have provided him a broad scope of areas to work within and lately, he has done plenty of soundtrack work like the music for the Morgan feature film or the Black Mirror TV series (to name but a few) or his previous work such as Sleep, a soothing contemporary classical music that lasts eight hours in length.

For ages, starting from the works of writers such as Shakespeare, Jane Austen, W.H. Auden, Goethe, Tolkien, Lewis Carol, the brothers Grimm to Carmen (to name but a few), literature has often served as an inspiration behind some of the greatest musical achievements. The music on Three Worlds was actually created as an accompaniment of Wayne McGregor's ballet that is based on Woolf's writings and as result, the final outcome is presented in three chapters that are based on three of Wolf's books: Mrs. Dalloway, Orlando, and The Waves. Richter delves into this rich world of Woolf's writings and offers another confirmation of the composer's gifts and far-reaching imagination.

Richter's penchant for elegant lyricism has been evident all throughout his recordings and he brings a similar approach to this one. As poignant as his writing is, it's the use of melodies and ambiances that give his work its rarefied air. The music floats from contemporary classical to an unusually thorough blend of ambient music elements with contemporary classical without calling attention to itself. Each chapter has its own distinct character yet they meld together seamlessly into the big whole as Richter balances these elements masterfully. In a way, each piece kind of dovetails into the next, establishing not only a variety of moods but a setting—an internal landscape of thoughts and emotions.

The music is at once contemplative and unpredictable, a mix of long and weaving melodies, repetitious patterns and high drama. All of the compositions are very emotive pieces, full of grace and quiet, restrained elegance. Three Worlds is a beautiful listen overall, even if you aren't acquainted with its context. Despite revealing already known dimensions of Richter's musical persona, it also uncovers new ones. As such, Three Worlds is a masterpiece.